In our fast moving digital age, making money is easier than ever before. The combination of new technology, the internet, and remote work has resulted in plenty of easy and legitimate ways to make an income, often from home. In this article, we’re going to lay out simple and practical ways to make money without a huge monetary investment, or specific background knowledge.
Whether you’re a student looking to make some money on the side, a stay-at-home parent, or just someone looking for a side-hustle, this guide will demonstrate the easiest – and best – ways to make some extra money.
- Freelancing: Turn Your Skills Into Cash
Freelancing can be one of the most flexible and easy ways to earn money online. If you have a skill, writing, graphic design, web development, video editing, or digital marketing, you can list your services online using the following sites and services:
Upwork
Fiverr
Freelancer
PeoplePerHour
These sites allow you to connect with clients all over the world. You set your own pay rate, select the projects you would like to work on and you choose when you work. There is a lot of work out there for beginners, such as data entry, transcription, or virtual assistance.
- Sell Products Online
Another easy way to make money is by selling either physical or digital products. Here are some simple ways to get you started:
Dropshipping: Dropshipping allows you to sell products online without even having inventory. You create an online store (on Shopify or WooCommerce), find products from suppliers, list them on your online store, and when you sell a product, the supplier ships directly to your customer.
Sell Handmade Products: If you’re crafty you can sell handmade products on Etsy; for example, jewelry, artwork, or knit clothing.
Use Marketplaces: Of course, you can also sell second-hand/good-condition used items or unused items on ebay, facebook marketplace, or amazon.
Print-on-Demand: You create designs for custom t-shirts, mugs, or phone cases and the printing company handles both the production and shipping.
- Online Surveys and Microtasks
While online surveys and microtasks don’t pay a lot, they can be an effective way to earn money while your sitting on the couch. Sites like:
Swagbucks
InboxDollars
Amazon Mechanical Turk
Clickworker
Essentially, these sites pay you to do simple task, like, answering surveys, watching videos, testing apps, and classifying images. It won’t replace a full-time income, but it’s a good, low-effort way to earn a few dollars a day, while you watching just about anything
- Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is probably the most passive and scalable way to generate income. Here’s how it works:
You sign up for an affiliate program (such as Amazon Associates, ClickBank, etc.).
You promote a product based on a unique referral link.
A consumer clicks on your link and purchases something, you retain a commission payment.
If you have an existing blog, YouTube channel or following on social media, this could generate serious revenue. And even if you don’t have an audience, you could create niche websites that you drive traffic toward through SEO or paid ads.
- Launch a YouTube Channel or TikTok Page
Creating content has become one of the most popular ways to make money online. Either YouTube or TikTok will allow you to monetize your online content in different ways, and most commonly through:
Ads
Sponsorships
Selling merchandise
Fan donations (like YouTube Super Chats or gifts on TikTok)
You don’t need an expensive camera or equipment when you get started, you can use your smartphone and come up with a great idea! Whether you want to do Tutorials on a skill, comedy skits, vlogs, or let’s plays for example, decide what you enjoy most and make content consistently.
- Online Tutoring or Teaching
If you’re good at a particular subject and/or can speak different languages, getting paid to teach online can be another creative way to earn money. You can sign up for tutoring websites like:
VIPKid (to teach English)
Preply
Tutor.com
Chegg Tutors
You could also provide private lessons over Zoom and promote yourself on social media or in local groups! Teaching usually requires some planning and prep, but can be fulfilling and can pay very well.
- Rent Out What You Don’t Need
If you have items that are lying around unused, why not rent them out? This is one of the easiest ways to earn passive income with no work.
You can rent your car (using Turo)
You can rent your extra room on Airbnb
You can rent tools, cameras or gear on sites like Fat Llama
You can even rent your parking space or driveway in busy cities!
- Cash Back and Rewards Apps
You could be earning money (or saving a ton of money) just by using cash back and rewards apps. They are low effort, and you’re getting cash back for purchases you are already making!
Rakuten gives cash back when you shop through their links.
Ibotta gives rebates on grocery items.
Dosh connects to your card and gives you cash back when you shop at participating retailers – automatically!
- Blogging
Blogging might take a while to see growth, however, it is a great long-term method of making money. Once you have established more consistent traffic, you can make money in a number of ways:
Advertising (e.g.: Google AdSense)
Sponsored posts
Affiliate marketing
Selling your own products and/or courses
Blogging about a niche you are passionate about- like travel, health, personal finance or technology- can be both fun and a money maker.
- Digital Products and Online Courses
If you are an expert in your field, consider creating and selling your own digital products such as:
eBooks
Online courses
Templates
Stock photos
Music beats
Basically, when you create a product like the ones mentioned above, in theory, it can create passive income for years with very little on-going work required.
To get started selling digital content, there are many platforms, including Gumroad, Teachable, and Udemy to sell on.
To Conclude
It doesn’t have to be complicated to earn an extra income. With the right attitude, consistency, and tools anyone can successfully take advantage of a new income stream, even with minimal start up cost. If your goal is to create a full-time income or just earn money as a side income, take a small step and focus on it.
Tips to Follow
Be consistent – as little amounts daily will sum up quickly.
Understand at least basic skills to maximise your time (e.g., marketing or SEO or budgeting).
Don’t fall for scams – Do not be influenced by anyone who asks for your money upfront and promises to make you rich overnight.
Focus on providing value – if you help others you will receive money.
To make money in a new income stream the simplest step is to take action today. Pick a method, pick a daily planned action, and prove to yourself that, with small steps, you can produce great results.
